70-year-old Peck Chuan Ann was charged in court on Tuesday (19 September) with voluntarily causing grievous hurt to 51-year-old Punnataro Wee by attacking him at Tanglin Halt Food Centre with a wooden pole with a nail protruding from it, according to The Straits Times.
The victim ended up suffering a fractured skull, bleeding in his brain and a permanent injury in his right wrist.
What happened?
The story begins one morning in April 2022 at Tanglin Halt Food Centre. Both Peck Chuan Ann and Punnataro Wee owned competing fish soup stalls, and their rivalry had simmered beneath the surface for a while.
On April 8, 2022, Wee arrived at the hawker centre early to prepare for the day ahead.
Peck, seemingly harboring a grudge, appeared shortly afterward. The tension between them escalated when Wee, while passing Peck, exchanged a stare and uttered a few words before returning to his stall.
The Trigger and the Weapon
In an Institute of Mental Health report, Peck would later claim that he attacked Wee because of the provocative stare. He mentioned feelings of indignation and an overwhelming urge to retaliate.
Around 7:08 AM, Peck ventured into the wash basin area of the food centre. There, he discovered a wooden pole hidden behind a folded table.
Sensing an opportunity, he grabbed the pole, which was approximately 71cm long and had a nail protruding at the end of the pole.
The Ambush
Peck’s actions were captured by CCTV cameras. He exited the food centre, took a concealed path that led behind Wee, and re-entered the food centre from behind his rival.
It was around 7:10 AM when Peck ambushed Wee with the wooden pole, relentlessly striking him on the head with the end that had the protruding nail.
The attack caused Wee to collapse to the ground. In a desperate attempt to protect her husband, Wee’s wife rushed over to intervene.
Peck, undeterred, tried to strike her as well. However, through their combined efforts, they managed to disarm Peck after a scuffle, forcing him to flee the scene.
The Aftermath and Legal Consequences
Wee’s injuries were grave; he suffered a scalp laceration, a skull fracture leading to bleeding in his brain, and fractures to his left hand and right wrist.
The hospital’s prognosis indicated that his injured wrist would likely remain permanently impaired. no compensation had been provided to Wee up to this point.
The prosecution argued that Peck’s attack was premeditated and vicious. They highlighted the calculated manner in which Peck had approached Wee, looking around to ensure no witnesses were present and taking a detour around the food centre to ambush the victim. The prosecution also noted that Peck’s aggression persisted even when confronted by Wee’s wife.
In his defense, Peck claimed that he suffered from adjustment disorder at the time of the offense. While an IMH psychiatrist acknowledged some impairment of Peck’s self-control and restraint, it was deemed only mild. The prosecution argued against placing substantial weight on Peck’s psychiatric condition as a mitigating factor.
Peck is set to return to court on 5 October to plead guilty.
Images source: Shin Min Daily News.